Sight Singing in beginning choir

[nafmeadmin]

I have been working with 5-6 grade beginning choir for the past three years, and I am struggling with teaching sight singing. First of all, the students that come to me have had general music since kindergarten and have been taught the basics (quarter note, half note, etc). But for some reason, they have absolutely no idea how to even identify a quarter note. Second, most of my students have never been in a choir. The choirs in the elementary levels are by audition only whereas mine is open to everyone. So, some of my students have been taught how to read music while others have not. Lastly, I can’t seem to get my kids excited about sight singing. They see it as a chore. I use Smart Music for my 6th grade, which helps make it more interesting for them. But they seem to be more interested in listening to themselves in the recording than actually doing the phrases correctly. I have used two different books to help teach them, “The Sight Singer” and “Sing at First Sight.” I have tried the “Thirty Days to…” series, which they fought me more because it was “worksheets.” I am not attempting to teach them to sight read full scales or even complex rhythms, just a four measure phrase with simple rhythms. I don’t even get to pitched sight reading until 6th grade. 5th grade focuses only on rhythms.

It feels like a losing battle. My students need to be able to read simple rhythms and begin reading notes, but they fight me every step of the way. I try to focus my 6th graders by discussing All-State auditions, but it doesn’t seem to help. I have to teach everything by rote. I don’t feel that I am helping them learn to read the music by doing this. Any suggestions?

[nafmeadmin]

As a general music teacher, I start with a lot of echo, which I know is the opposite of sight singing (or chanting of rhythms). But at least that gets them feeling patterns and using their mouth. After they know a set of patterns, have them decode them by listening to you chant and picking that pattern out of a line up. You could make that a game! Then split the class in two and have one person from each side learn a unique pattern and find their partner on the team by singing and listening to each other. As they get into these habits of hearing patterns and singing them, they will be more willing to sing alone. The more games you can create with them doing something with a pattern the more participation I think you’ll get.

Then I bet your sight singing books might step in with singing monotone patterns to rhythm, showing them going up one step and back down…down a step and back up…. etc. But I agree, getting 5th and 6th graders to even open their mouths productively is the biggest challenge!

[nafmeadmin]

I haven’t found worksheets and sight reading booklets to be as helpful because students have difficulty relating the materials to the actual music they sing. I take actual excerpts from their music and write them on the board for rhythm practice and for learning notes and sightreading. I have found Solfege to be very useful in getting the interval relationships in sightreading but it has to be used consistently in order for a beginning student to transfer the knowledge to the many keys. Students can also say note names of the excerpts. However, the quick students will call out the answer and not give those less trained students an opportunity to respond. I use tests to check where students are and then tutor individually those with low scores in a situation where they can receive an A by coming in for tutoring so they do not feel punished. A little a day goes a long way. If you do it too long it is tedious and will not give the desired result. Have students take turns pointing to the exercise and have them individually clap rhythms.

LeAnna Willmore
NAfME, Choral Education Council Chair

[nafmeadmin]

Try Michael Driscoll’s approach to sight-singing, cited in Massachusetts Music News, 58, 4 (Summer 2010) 22-23.

His email address is mdriscoll@alum.wpi.edu

Although written for hs choral ensembles, I believe the method may be used effectively with upper elementary- just use your imagination!

Carl Smith

[nafmeadmin]

Choirteacher3: I have a sight-reading handout from Michael Driscoll, obtained at the MASS ACDA Summer Conference, July, 2013.
I’d be happy to scan the document and email it to you. My email address: drcarlwsmith@yahoo.com

Carl Smith

[nafmeadmin]

I teach all of my choir students (and my private voice students) to sight read by note name. I don’t use numbers or solfege. I have them read just like the band and orchestra students read. I tell them that we are sight reading like musicians. I would be more than happy to share my methods with you. You can contact me at gaily@portangelesschools.org.

Jolene Dalton Gailey
Northwest Chairperson of the NAfME Choral Council

[nafmeadmin]

Jolene: I tried to email you, but it did not go through correctly. I would love more information about your methods. Please contact me at lbowen@dcboe.com.

Carl: I am reviewing all of the materials you sent me. I am going to start trying it with my 6th grade students to see how they respond. Thanks so much!

[nafmeadmin]

It sounds like the class needs some sort of AHA! moment; something that makes them realize, “hey, I’m sight-singing and this is awesome!” With that in mind, sight-sing familiar, catchy tunes, but don’t let them know that they are familiar, catchy tunes. These tunes can initially be taught to them aurally with words; get them familiar with the tune. Another day, after you’ve finished with these familiar, catchy tunes, hand them some notated music with no title, no words, nothing recognizable to them that wouldn’t get to excited about. At first, yea, they’re not gonna have any idea what’s going on. But once you get past the first three and a half notes, they’ll realize, “AHA! I know this!” and start singing away. Not so much teaching them how to read like pros, but at least getting them introduced and interested regarding sight reading.

[nafmeadmin]

Students love games. I play a game called Forbidden Pattern with my students that helps them practice solfege while having a great time playing. I use it as the “hook” for my Sight Singing program. They love playing it. It gives you a chance to have a little fun with them while teaching them how to use the solfege signs.

Here is a video of me teaching the game to my beginning 6th graders:

Just copy and paste.

There are several other Sight Singing videos on that site that I’ve been uploading this year as I’ve taught Sight Singing to my students. Hopefully, you will get some more ideas from them. I am uploading videos of sight singing tips and actual teaching almost daily because I want to share this particular journey of teaching this year’s beginners how to sight sing.

Hope that helps!

Dale Duncan
Music in the Middle with Mr D

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